A Tale Of Two Cities

Chapter 62 BOOK THE SECOND: THE GOLDEN THREAD (45)
'You are fatigued，'said madame，raising her glance as she knotted the money.'There are only the usual odours.'
'I am a little tired，'her husband acknowledged.
'You are a little depressed too，'said madame，whose quick eyes had never been so intent on the accounts，but they had had a ray or two for him.'Oh，the men，the men！'
'But my dear！'began Defarge.
'But my dear！'repeated madame，nodding firmly；'but my dear！You are faint of heart tonight，my dear！'
'Well，then，'said Defarge，as if a thought were wrung out of his breast，'it is a long time.'
'It is a long time，'repeated his wife；'and when is it not a long time？Vengeance and retribution require a long time；it is the rule.'
'It does not take a long time to strike a man with lightning，'said Defarge.
'How long，'demanded madame，composedly，'does it take to make and store the lightning？Tell me.'
Defarge raised his head thoughtfully，as if there were something in that too.
'It does not take a long time，'said madame.'for an earthquaketo swallow a town. Eh well！Tell me how long it takes to prepare the earthquake？'
'A long time，I suppose，'said Defarge.
'But when it is ready，it takes place，and grinds to pieces everything before it. In the meantime，it is always preparing，though it is not seen or heard.That is your consolation.Keep it.'
She tied a knot with flashing eyes，as if it throttled a foe.
'I tell thee，'said madame，extending her right hand，for emphasis，'that although it is a long time on the road，it is on the road and coming. I tell thee it never retreats，and never stops.I tell thee it is always advancing.Look around and consider the lives of all the world that we know，consider the rage and discontent to which the Jacquerie addresses itself with more and more of certainty every hour.Can such things last？Bah！I mock you.'
'My brave wife，'returned Defarge，standing before her with his head a little bent，and his hands clasped at his back，like a docile and attentive pupil before his catechist，'I do not question all this. But it has lasted a long time，and it is possible—you know well，my wife，it is possible—that it may not come，during our lives.'
'Eh well！How then？'demanded madame，tying another knot，as if there were another enemy strangled.
'Well！'said Defarge，with a half complaining and half apologetic shrug.'We shall not see the triumph.'
'We shall have helped it，'returned madame，with her extended hand in strong action.'Nothing that we do，is done in vain. I believe with all my soul，that we shall see the triumph.But even if not，even if I knew certainly not，show me the neck of an aristocrat and tyrant，and still I would—'Then madame，with her teeth set，tied a very terrible knot indeed.
'Hold！'cried Defarge，reddening a little as if he felt charged with cowardice；'I too，my dear，will stop at nothing.'
'Yes！But it is your weakness that you sometimes need to see your victim and your opportunity，to sustain you. Sustain yourself without that.When the time comes，let loose a tiger and a devil；but wait for the time with the tiger and the devil chained—not shown—yet always ready.'
Madame enforced the conclusion of this piece of advice by striking her little counter with her chain of money as if she knocked its brains out，and then gathering the heavy handkerchief under her arm in a serene manner，and observing that it was time to go to bed.
Next noontide saw the admirable woman in her usual place in the wine-shop knitting away assiduously. A rose lay beside her，and if she now and then glanced at the flower，it was with no infraction of her usual preoccupied air.There were a few customers，drinking or not drinking，standing or seated，sprinkled about.The day was very hot，and heaps of flies，who were extending their inquisitive and adventurous perquisitions into all the glutinous little glasses near madame，fell dead at the bottom.Their decease made no impression on the other flies out promenading，who looked at them in the coolest manner（as if they themselves were elephants，or something as far removed），until they met the same fate.Curious to consider how heedless flies are！—perhaps they thought as much at Court that sunny summer day.
A figure entering at the door threw a shadow on Madame Defarge which she felt to be a new one. She laid down herknitting，and began to pin her rose in her head-dress，before she looked at the figure.
It was curious. The moment Madame Defarge took up the rose，the customers ceased talking，and began gradually to drop out of the wine-shop.
'Good day，madame，'said the newcomer.
'Good day，monsieur.'
She said it aloud，but added to herself，as she resumed her knitting：'Hah！Good day，age about forty，height about five feet nine，black hair，generally rather handsome visage，complexion dark，eyes dark，thin long and sallow face，aquiline nose but not straight，having a peculiar inclination towards the left cheek which imparts a sinister expression！Good day，one and all！'
'Have the goodness to give me a little glass of old cognac，and a mouthful of cool fresh water，madame.'
Madame complied with a polite air.
'Marvellous cognac this，madame！'
It was the first time it had ever been so complimented，and Madame Defarge knew enough of its antecedents to know better. She said，however，that the cognac was flattered，and took up her knitting.The visitor watched her fingers for a few moments，and took the opportunity of observing the place in general.
'You knit with great skill，madame.'
'I am accustomed to it.'
'A pretty pattern too！'
'You think so？'said madame，looking at him with a smile.
'Decidedly. May one ask what it is for？'
'Pastime，'said madame，still looking at him with a smile，while her fingers moved nimbly.
'Not for use？'
'That depends. I may find a use for it one day.If I do—well，'said madame，drawing a breath and nodding her head with a stern kind of coquetry，'I'll use it！'
(End of this chapter)